Easily Removed Bottle Stoppers and Associated Methods

ABSTRACT

Bottle stoppers/corks we disclosed that cam easily be removed from bottles. These bottle stoppers do not requite the use of an external tool in order to remove the stopper. The stoppers are designed in such a way that the stopper deforms in a way that the stopper can be easily removed from and/or inserted into a bottle/container without great effort. The stopper is designed so that it has both a cork portion that is inserted into a bottle and a removal portion that resides largely outside the bottle. The removal portion comprises a loop that allows an individual to pull on the loop in a direction along the length of the cork portion, thereby facilitating removal of the stopper from the bottle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bottle stoppers or corks that can easily be removed from bottles. The bottle corks of the present invention do not require the use of an external tool in order to remove the cork.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cork has been used to stopper wine containers almost since the advent of wine and containers allowing wine drinkers to enjoy wine long after the grapes and the wine-making process has been completed. Natural cork is derived from the cork tree, Quercus Suber. A stopper made of cork is designed in such a way as to allow the influx of oxygen into the wine bottle at small amounts initially and then over time not allow additional oxygen to enter the wine. This allows the wine to attain a very drinkable status over long periods of time. Synthetic materials have been developed that also allow the passage of oxygen. Synthetic corks are made from plastic compounds designed to look and “pop” like natural cork, but without the risk of TCA contamination.

Unlike natural corks, many wine synthetic corks are made from material that is not biodegradable but recyclable. There are two main production techniques for synthetic wine closures: injection molding and extrusion (mono- and co-). Methods also exist which combine the two techniques of injection and extrusion.

The ideal cork is a cork that fits into a wine bottle completely wherein the top of the cork is flush with the top of the bottle. Other corks have been developed like corks with a t-top style (where the cork diameter is wider at the top so that the top of the cork does not completely fit into a bottle—this style cork is commonly used on sparkling wines).

One of the drawbacks to the t-top style cork is that it does not sit flush with the top of the bottle so that it tends to be prone to cracking over time. Moreover, having the correct amount of oxygen enter the wine initially is difficult to gauge with this type of cork. Accidental removal and packaging are also potential problems with this style cork. The more traditional cork that tits completely in the bottle (where the top of the cork is flush with the top of the bottle) also has several drawbacks that are overcome by the present invention. Included in these drawbacks are the fact that an external removal device is usually necessary to remove the cork. For example, the traditional cork screw style bottle opener is one means of removing the stopper from the wine bottle. Other types of external removal devices have been developed that facilitate the removal of a stopper from the bottle. Another drawback to use of the traditional cork is that when one uses an external device to remove the cork, there is always the risk that the cork will at least partially end up in the bottle. Moreover, often times the cork will be unusable to reseal a bottle after its removal by a traditional external device. In some instances, the cork may have holes through the center of the cork.

It was with these drawbacks in mind that the present invention was developed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bottle stoppers/corks that can easily be removed from bottles. The bottle stoppers of the present invention do not require the use of an external tool in order to remove the stopper. The stoppers are designed in such a way that the stopper deforms in a way that the stopper can be easily removed from and/or inserted into a bottle/container without great effort. The stopper is designed so that it has both a cork portion that is inserted into a bottle and a removal portion that resides largely outside the bottle. The removal portion comprises a loop that allows an individual to pull on the loop in a direction along the length of the cork portion, thereby facilitating removal of the stopper from the bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the stopper of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the stopper of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the stopper of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a stopper of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bottle stoppers/corks that can easily be removed from bottles. The bottle stoppers of the present invention do not require the use of an external tool in order to remove the stopper. The stoppers are designed in such a way that the stopper deforms in a way that the stopper can be easily removed from and/or inserted into a bottle/container without great effort. The stopper is designed so that it has both a cork portion that is inserted into a bottle and a removal portion that resides largely outside the bottle. The removal portion comprises a loop that allows an individual to pull on the loop in a direction along the length of the cork portion, thereby facilitating removal of the stopper from the bottle.

The stopper of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, it should be recognized that this description is not intended to limit the invention but rather is to show embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1 shows the stopper 1 with the cork portion 3 of the stopper 1 and the removal portion 2. The cork portion 3 is manufactured/designed so that it fits in a bottle/container. In an embodiment, the top of the cork portion 3 is designed to sit flush with the top of the bottle/container (not shown) so that only the removal portion 2 is accessible to an individual. By designing the cork so that the top of the cork portion 3 sits flush with the top of the bottle, packaging is facilitated.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the stopper 1 with cork portion 3 and removal portion 2. Cork portion 3 has a length 5 and a diameter 6. When an individual pulls on removal portion 2 in a direction along length 5 as shown by arrow 4, cork portion 3 can be removed from the bottle or container. In an embodiment, the stopper can be designed in such a way as when an individual pulls on the bop in removal portion 2, the length 5 increases in length and diameter 6 decreases in diameter thereby facilitating the removal of stopper 1 from the bottle or container.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the stopper of the invention. In this view, one can see the internal workings of the cork portion 3. In this view, the removal portion 2 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises an internal part 21 and an external part 22. The internal part 21 is integrally fused to the cork portion 3 so that the removal portion 2 remains connected to the cork portion 3. As was discussed above with reference to FIG. 2, when an individual pulls on the loop of external part 22 in a direction as shown by arrow 4 (see FIG. 2), it is believed that the length 5 increases in length and the diameter 6 (seen in FIG. 2) decreases thus facilitating removal of the stopper from a bottle. Without being bound by the theory of how the stopper works, it has been found that this extension of length and decrease in diameter works better when the internal portion 21 is integrally fused beyond the fifty percent line 51 from the top 31 of the cork portion 3 to the bottom 32 of the cork portion 3. That is, it is believed that by having the internal part fused to more than 50% of the cork, the length 5 of the cork portion 3 increases and the diameter 4 of the cork portion 3 decreases to a greater extent, thus facilitating the removal of the cork portion 3 from the bottle/container. In one embodiment, the internal part 21 is integrally fused to the cork portion 3 by an adhesive.

The adhesive may be one or more of various types of glue, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive or a heat sensitive adhesive. Alternatively and/or additionally, the adhesive may be an animal protein based adhesive such as albumin glues, casein glues, or meat glues. The adhesive may be a plant based glue such as Canada balsam, Coccoina, gum Arabic, a latex based glue, a starch based glue, a methyl cellulose based glue, a mucilage based glue, a resorcinol resin, or a urea-formaldehyde based glue. Alternatively and/or additionally, the adhesive may be a polystyrene cement/butanone, or a dichloromethane based adhesive. Alternatively and/or additionally, the adhesive may be an acrylonitrile based glue, cyanoacrylate based glue, an acrylic based monomer glue, or a resorcinol based glue. Alternatively and/or additionally, the adhesive may be an epoxy resin, an epoxy putty, an ethylene-vinyl acetate based glue (hot melt glue), a phenol formaldehyde based glue, a polyamide based glue, a polyester resin based adhesive, a polypropylene based glue, a polysulfide based glue, a polyurethane based glue, a polyvinyl acetate based glue, a polyvinyl alcohol based glue, polyvinyl chloride based glue, a polyvinylpyrrolidone based glue, a rubber cement, a silicone based glue, an acrylic copolymer, a stymie acrylic copolymer based glue, a styrene-butadiene-styrene, a styrene-isoprene-styrene, and/or a silicone polymer based glue.

FIG. 4 shows a stopper that is similar in many respects to the stopper that is present in FIG. 3. However, in this figure, the stopper contains a lower loop portion 23 that is present in the cork portion. The lower loop portion 23 may be inserted as described below in natural cork. Alternatively, the lower loop portion 23 may be present in a synthetic material that is used to manufacture the cork portion as described below. Having the lower loop portion 23 may provide an additional mechanical aspect that adds connection strength of the removal portion to the cork portion that is not present in, for example, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

In an embodiment, the stopper 1 may be made by extrusion. Usually in this instance, the cork portion 3 will have to subsequently be cut in half and the removal portion 2 fused to the cork portion 3. Subsequently, the cork portion will then be fused back together.

In an embodiment, the stopper 1 may be made by injection molding. In this instance, the removal portion 2 may be held in place when the injection molding of the cork portion 3 takes place. This will allow the removal portion 2 to be integrally fused to the cork portion 3. In an embodiment, the removal portion 2 and the cork portion 3 may be made of similar (or identical) material so that the entire stopper 1 can be made by injection molding. In an embodiment the stopper, when it is made of similar or identical material, may comprise polypropylene.

In an embodiment, the method, may involve taking a pre-made loop and inserting it into natural cork. Because cork has elastic and resilient properties, the loop may be inserted under, for example, pneumatic pressure, and the cork will naturally accept the loop in the interior of the cork portion and return essentially to its normal shape with the loop inserted in the cork portion.

In an embodiment, the stopper is a stopper for a wine bottle. The wine bottle may be packaged for shipment in a way that the stopper that is present in the wine bottle has foil on it. The foil may be an aluminum foil. The external part of the removal portion may be a material that is very flexible so that when the foil is placed over the cork and top of the wine bottle, the foil is substantially flat with the top of the cork. One would simply remove the foil to expose the external part of the removal portion allowing an individual access to the loop in the external part. Subsequently, an individual can remove the stopper by pulling the removal portion in a direction along the length of the cork portion (see arrow 4 in FIG. 2).

In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a stopper for a bottle, wherein the stopper comprises a cork portion and a removal portion; the cork portion having a length and a width, the removal portion being integrally fused to the cork portion, the removal portion having an internal part and an external part, the internal part being present in the cork portion and not being accessible to an individual, the external part being at least partially accessible to the individual allowing the individual to remove the stopper from the bottle without the use of an external tool.

In a variation, the stopper is a stopper that is used in a wine bottle.

In one-variation, the cork portion comprises cork. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cork portion may comprise a synthetic material. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cork portion may be a mix of both a synthetic material and a natural material such as cork.

In an embodiment, the synthetic material comprises plastic.

In an embodiment, the removal portion comprises a fabric wherein the fabric comprises a loop in the external part, allowing the individual to pull on the loop to remove the stopper from the bottle.

in an embodiment, the fabric is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a nylon fabric, hemp, cotton, jute, kenaf, flax, ramie, other plant based fibers, textured polyester, spun polyester, and polypropylene, or mixtures thereof. In a variation, both the fabric and the cork portion are made of natural products.

In a variation, the fabric is a nylon fabric that is integrally fused to the cork portion by an adhesive.

In an embodiment, the adhesive is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensitive adhesive, a heat sensitive adhesive, an albumin glue, a casein glue, a Canada balsam glue, a Coccoina glue, a gum Arabic glue, a latex based, glue, a starch based glue, a methyl cellulose based glue, a mucilage based glue, a resorcinol resin, a urea-formaldehyde based glue, a polystyrene cement/butanone, a dichloromethane based adhesive, an acrylonitrile based glue, a cyanoacrylate based glue, an acrylic based monomer glue, a resorcinol based glue, an epoxy resin, an epoxy putty, an ethylene-vinyl acetate based glue, a phenol formaldehyde based glue, a polyamide based glue, a polyester resin based adhesive, a polypropylene based glue, a polysulfide based glue, a polyurethane based glue, a poly vinyl acetate based glue, a polyvinyl alcohol based glue, a polyvinyl chloride based glue, a polyvinylpyrrolidone based glue, a rubber cement, a silicone based glue, an acrylic copolymer, a styrene acrylic copolymer based glue, a styrene-butadiene-styrene, a styrene-isoprene-styrene, and a silicone polymer based glue or mixtures thereof.

In an embodiment, only the internal part of the removal portion is integrally fused to the cork portion. The external part of the removal portion contains the loop w herein the internal part of the removal portion is not accessible to an individual.

In an embodiment, the internal part of the removal portion is integrally fused along at least fifty percent of the length of the cork portion. By this, it is meant that the internal part of the removal portion occupies at least half the length of the cork portion. In a variation, the removal portion is integrally fused along at least sixty percent of the length of the cork portion. In a variation, the removal portion is integrally fused along at least seventy percent of the length of the cork portion. In a variation, the removal portion is integrally fused along at least eighty percent of the length of the cork portion. In a variation, the removal portion is integrally fused along at least ninety percent of the length of the cork portion.

In an embodiment, when the loop is pulled in a direction along the length of the cork portion, the length of the cork portion increases and the width of the cork portion decreases facilitating removal of the stopper from the bottle. Along the length of the cork portion means that the loop is palled in a way that allows the cork to fee removed from the bottle. When the loop is pulled, the length of the cork gets squeezed in a way that the length increases in (i.e., increases in length) and the diameter (i.e., the width) of the cork portion decreases in size (i.e., the diameter gets smaller), which facilitates the cork portion being removed from the bottle.

In a variation, the synthetic material is one or more members selected from the group consisting of low density polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid, or combinations thereof. In a variation, the synthetic material may be the same or similar materials for both the cork portion and the internal part. In this variation, one injection molding may be used to make the stopper thereby simplifying the process of manufacture.

In an embodiment, the synthetic material is one or more members selected from the group consisting of low density polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid, or combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the cork portion and the removal portion both comprise polypropylene. In one variation, the cork portion and the removal portion can both be made out of the same material.

In a variation, the cork portion is made by extrusion.

In an embodiment, the stopper is made by injection molding. Both the cork portion and the removal portion can be made together,

In an embodiment, the present invention relates to methods of using the cork including methods or removing the above stopper from a container, such as a wine bottle. The methods may also include methods of making and methods of using the stopper, including a method of inserting the stopper in a container and/or bottle. The method may use any of the stopper components that are described herein.

In an embodiment, the method relates to a method of removing a stopper From a bottle, said stopper comprising a cork portion and a removal portion, said cork portion being integrally fused to the removal portion, said removal portion comprising a loop, said method comprising pulling the loop in a direction that is along the length of the cork portion.

In an embodiment, the present method relates to a method that when the loop is pulled by the individual, the cork portion increases in length and decreases in width. This change in the size and dimensions of the cork allows not only for easy removal of the stopper from container (bottle) but also easy insertion of the stopper into the container.

In one embodiment of the method, the cork portion is made of cork. Alternatively and/or additionally, it may also be made of a synthetic material or a combination of a natural product/material and a synthetic material

In variation of the method, the removal portion may be made of a fabric that is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a nylon fabric, hemp, cotton, textured polyester, spun polyester, and polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.

It should be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the above description. Modifications can be made to the above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is contemplated and therefore within the scope of the present invention that any feature that is described above can be combined with any other feature that is described above (even if those features are not described together). Moreover, it should be understood that the present invention contemplates and it is therefore within the scope of the invention that any element that is described can be omitted from the apparatus and/or methods of the present invention. In any event, the scope of protection to be afforded is to be determined by the claims which follow and the breadth of interpretation which the law allows. 

I claim:
 1. A stopper for a bottle, wherein said stopper comprises a cork portion and a removal portion; said cork portion having a length and a width, said removal portion being integrally fused to said cork portion, said removal portion having an internal part and an external part, said internal part being present in the cork portion and not being accessible to an individual, said external part being at least partially accessible to the individual allowing said individual to remove the stopper from the bottle without the use of an external tool.
 2. The stopper of claim 1, wherein said cork portion comprises cork.
 3. The stopper of claim 1, wherein the cork portion comprises a synthetic material.
 4. The stopper of claim 3, wherein the synthetic material comprises plastic.
 5. The stopper of claim 1, wherein said removal portion comprises a fabric, said fabric having a loop in the external part, allowing the individual to pull on the loop to remove the stopper from the bottle.
 6. The stopper of claim 5, wherein the fabric is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a nylon fabric, hemp, cotton, textured polyester, spun polyester, and polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.
 7. The stopper of claim 5, wherein the fabric is a nylon fabric is integrally fused to the cork portion by an adhesive.
 8. The stopper of claim 7, wherein the adhesive is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensitive adhesive, a heat sensitive adhesive, an albumin glue, a casein glue, a Canada balsam glue, a Coccoina glue, a gum Arabic glue, a latex based glue, a starch based glue, a methyl cellulose based glue, a mucilage based glue, a resorcinol resin, a urea-formaldehyde based glue, a polystyrene cement/butanone, a dichloromethane based adhesive, an acrylonitrile based glue, a cyanoacrylate based glue, an acrylic based monomer glue, a resorcinol based glue, an epoxy resin, an epoxy putty, an ethylene-vinyl acetate based glue, a phenol formaldehyde based glue, a polyamide based glue, a polyester resin based adhesive, a polypropylene based glue, a polysulfide based glue, a polyurethane based glue, a polyvinyl acetate based glue, a polyvinyl alcohol based glue, a polyvinyl chloride based glue, a polyvinylpyrrolidone based glue, a rubber cement, a silicone based glue, an acrylic copolymer, a styrene acrylic copolymer based glue, a styrene-butadiene-styrene, a styrene-isoprene-styrene, and a silicone polymer based glue or mixtures thereof.
 9. The stopper of claim 1, wherein only the internal part of the removal portion is integrally fused to the cork portion.
 10. The-stopper of claim 9, wherein the internal part is integrally fused along at least fifty percent of the length of the cork portion.
 11. The stopper of claim 5, wherein when said loop is pulled in a direction along the length of the cork portion, the length of the cork portion increases and the width of the cork portion decreases facilitating removal of the stopper from the bottle.
 12. The stopper of claim 3, wherein the synthetic material is one or more members selected from the group consisting of low density polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid, or combinations thereof.
 13. The stopper of claim 6, wherein the synthetic material is one or more members selected from the group consisting of low density polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid, or combinations thereof.
 14. The stopper of claim 13, wherein the cork portion and the removal portion both comprise polypropylene.
 15. The stopper of claim 3, wherein the cork portion is made by extrusion.
 16. The stopper of claim 14, wherein the stopper is made by injection mold.
 17. A method of removing a stopper from a bottle, said stopper comprising a cork portion and a removal portion, said cork portion being integrally fused to the removal portion, said removal portion comprising a loop, said method comprising pulling the loop in a direction that allows an individual to remove the stopper from the bottle.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein when the loop is pulled by the individual, the cork portion increases in length and decreases in width.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cork portion is made of cork.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the removal portion is made of a fabric that is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a nylon fabric, hemp, cotton, textured polyester, spun polyester, and polypropylene, or mixtures thereof. 